So Brave Ambassadors

Australia’s young women branch cancer charity, So Brave has announced its Model Ambassadors for 2018. Selected from across Australia, all of the models are breast cancer survivors.

During a year long program of empowerment, each Model Ambassador will host fundraising events and share her experience with breast cancer with the community to raise awareness that young women are also at risk and need to be breast aware. In 2018, So Brave will focus on awareness and education – presenting at schools, universities and among the medical community to share stories and raise awareness across the community.

Each model will also participate in So Brave’s Breast Cancer Fundraiser Calendar, an inspiring, colourful, empowering visual representation of the metamorphosis that each young woman has gone through. Each model is painted in full body paint and photographed for the incredibly body-positive calendar, to be launched later in 2018.

The calendar aims to create awareness for breast cancer in young women.

Proceeds from the calendar will fund breast cancer research to better prevent, diagnose, monitor and treat breast cancer, especially in young women. It includes tips about breast care and breast health for women under 40, and shares the models and brand ambassador’s stories.

Founder and CEO of So Brave, and breast cancer survivor, Rachelle Panitz, is excited about the charity’s program for 2018.

“2018 is set to be So Brave’s biggest year yet and we’re finally travelling across the country to Tasmania and Western Australia. We will continue to empower young women with breast cancer. We have chosen 12 brave young women from all over Australia to participate in this year’s So Brave Breast Cancer Fundraiser Calendar. All of these model ambassadors have been diagnosed with breast cancer before they turned 40.”

The 2017 and 2018 calendars were successfully launched in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Models will begin to be painted with body paint and photographed for the 2019 calendar as early as February.

Melbourne resident and breast cancer survivor, Leia Sheldrick (35) has been chosen to be one of So Brave’s 2018 Model Ambassadors.

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 32, which broke my heart. After a double mastectomy, chemo and reconstruction, and a lot of soul searching, I found a new strength in myself. After watching my mother go through breast cancer and beat it, I know I could. There was a lot of self doubt and down times, but with the support of my family I have come out the other end a better, stronger and more confident person,” Leia said.

“Fundraising from the 2019 calendar will support So Brave’s Research Grants Program which will fund research to educate, prevent, diagnose, treat and monitor breast cancer in young women under 40,” Rachelle said.

One dollar from every 2019 Calendar sold will also be donated to the McGrath Foundation to continue So Brave’s support of the organisation from our 2017 year of regional focus.